Public life is more vibrant with my longstanding friend Boris

On Tuesday we will finally learn the identity of our new prime minister. Whoever wins has got urgent decisions to make so Britain can hit the ground running as we attempt to renegotiate our withdrawal from the European Union in a way that protects the economy, our precious Union and our security.

Six weeks ago, I announced I would support Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, and explained why I thought he would make an excellent prime minister. After the campaign he has run, I think many agree with that assessment.

Jeremy has shown he has got the qualities to lead Britain. His detailed plan to prepare for no deal, including a £6billion package of support for farmers and fishermen, will help mitigate the economic challenges of a harsh exit.

Not only has Jeremy toured the UK energetically campaigning, but he’s done it all while serving as Foreign Secretary during an especially turbulent time for British diplomacy.

The fallout from Sir Kim Darroch’s resignation, protests in Hong Kong and renewed Iranian aggression have required thoughtful and careful handling.

The contest was a thorough examination of both candidates. This is vitally important because now that the battle is over, the entire Conservative Party must come together to deliver Brexit, lift the gloom and uncertainty hanging over business and then make a compassionate and progressive case to the country so we can fully consign Jeremy Corbyn to the dustbin of history.

Despite any differences Jeremy or Boris may have had, we can be sure of one thing: neither would destroy Britain like Corbyn would.

Boris is a longstanding friend and public life is more vibrant and fuller for having him driving forward good Conservative policies.

When Boris Johnson was foreign secretary, I was the home secretary and worked with him following the shocking Skripal attack.

We demonstrated the evidence against Russia and he led on getting a strong international response. However, Corbyn’s default position was to question our security service and suggest that Russia should be part of the investigation.

If Corbyn were to somehow seize power, he would preside over a shift in our global security. Where we currently enjoy close ties with our historical partners like the USA, Australia, Canada and Israel, Corbyn would sign us up to a club with Russia and Venezuela.

And it’s not just on security where Labour are exposed as a shambles. Just this week, John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, finally admitted that the old,

‘Corbyn would sign us up to a club with Russia and Venezuela’

outdated welfare system would not be one he’d go back to. Ironically, his speech came the day after our latest record-breaking set of employment statistics were released with wages outpacing inflation.

This is why it’s so important that all Conservative MPs come together to protect the slim majority we have and then get match fit for a general election in 2022. So just as the Conservative Party came together after that EU referendum, it must now come together again no matter who wins.

If we don’t, the alternative could be Corbyn for Christmas.

As Jeremy Hunt has said, if we don’t throw away the name tags of “Leave” or “Remain”, then we’ll never move forward as a party and a country. I hope next week is the start of that healing process.This time next week we will have a new PM, a new Cabinet and a new opportunity to deliver for Britain. We must grasp it.

Amber Rudd is MP for Hastings and Rye and Work and Pensions Secretary